


Curious Longing

by WretchedEscapist



Category: Dishonored (Video Game)
Genre: Denial of Feelings, Low Chaos, M/M, Power Obsession, Slight Worship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-25
Updated: 2013-04-13
Packaged: 2017-12-03 15:10:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,472
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/699585
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WretchedEscapist/pseuds/WretchedEscapist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Outsider notices Corvo likes to be touched. For Corvo, however, it's a bit harder to admit.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

For some time after encountering a shrine, always, Corvo would still hear the Outsider's voice in his head. He would remain feeling slightly weak, flushed too warm for comfort, until the threat of an encounter with a guard or some other hostile forced him to sobriety lest he be caught and mutilated on the spot.

It was the praise. Insidious words spoken without care or much emotion, that got to him most of all.

_"... he's not special like you are..."_

At first, Corvo was only confused. What exactly made him so _special?_ What part of this personal quest he was on could the omnipotent _Outsider_ find so entertaining?But the more he thought on it, the more powerful and obsessed he became, the more he found himself growing fond of the deity's constant attention. The more he found those words worming their way deep into his consciousness, affecting him in ways he hardly wanted to admit to even himself. It was flattering, above all else, to have a god deem him worthy of not only his attention, but his _power._

And that power was _intoxicating._ It fast became his second priority to track down runes wherever he could. Corvo justified this hunger by training his abilities in ways that would help him through his journey and nothing more. He _needed_ the power, to save Emily, and to save the entire city. He did not kill unless he had to. Choosing instead to grant his enemies fates worse than death, and he struck only when he was cornered. Even then, the strength he now wielded sometimes left him stunned.

Dizzy with adrenaline, he would lash out with his knife, go for their throats and watch heads roll. He made sure to be quick, inflict wounds to slow them down when he found he could flee instead, block their attacks only to Blink somewhere overhead where they'd never think to look.

Even with all his strength and abilities, the one everyone called 'Granny Rags' turned out to be a lot more of a hassle to subdue than he had expected she would be. The second he got the drop on her, he took his chance and got his arms around her throat for the third time since their battle began. All the other times she'd vanished- Blinked, probably, leaving him to fight off yet another swarm of rats she'd sent hurtling his way.

Finally falling slack in his arms, Corvo was quick to grab her to not let her fall to the cold metal grating which made up the platform beneath them. Her frail appearance was deceiving, certainly, but he didn't want to risk dropping an elderly woman onto even the most forgiving of flooring.

He took her to her room and placed her on her bed, almost absurd in how caring he was after all she'd put him through just moments before, but it wouldn't be the first time.

Back downstairs, he freed Slackjaw, the man he'd just saved from being boiled in a stew, but the praise offered and his words were hardly paid much attention to. Corvo could feel it near, ever since he'd set foot in this little sanctuary- a rune. And now with nothing more to distract him, he was going to find it; nothing would keep him from doing so.

After bidding their farewells, Corvo ignored the odd look Slackjaw gave him when he turned and headed right back up those stairs.

The door at the back of Granny Rags' room hadn't skipped his notice before. After entering, Corvo froze for a few seconds when he saw the unmistakable violet light emanating from around a bend, and the blue fabric draped over the ceiling leading from the same place. Maybe it should have been expected that she'd have a shrine back here, but that did little to slow the beating of his heart. Closing the door behind him, there was a numbness in his legs as he made his way closer, but his avidity was evident in the quickness of his steps.

It was at the top of a metal staircase, the walls draped with blue fabric all the way down to the floor level. Corvo's mind was buzzing as he gazed upon the shrine, drawing closer, he was almost hesitant to touch the rune presented like an offering on top of it. Gently, he laid his hands on its ivory surface, tensing slightly when the dark power swirling about it raced up his arms and infused him with crackling energy.

"You find your way into such _interesting_ places, Corvo."

The Outsider's voice was smooth and mellow as always; a sound which used to set Corvo on edge, but now only served to lull him. Somehow, taking the rune from its spot in the presence of the deity himself seemed too rude a thing to do, so he refrained.

"At the eye of the storm raging between Granny Rags and this man who has lived his whole life with a cleaver in one hand and a bottle in the other. Crawling out of those flooded ruins, winding your way back to the pub where you last saw Emily?"

Corvo bristled at those words, and averted his eyes. It came as no shock that the Outsider knew exactly what was always at the fore of his mind, above all else despite his temporary distractions. It was all for Emily, in the end; she was the closest thing he had to a daughter.

"Where is she now?" the Outsider continued, canting his head.

"That's what I'm trying to find out," Corvo stated, keeping his voice low so as to not shatter the atmosphere of calm.

The deity acknowledged that response with his usual numb interest.

"...And you will."

Then, the smoky darkness which surrounded him seemed to consume him and he was gone. Confused for a moment, Corvo felt almost disappointed before he jolted at the sound of the Outsider's voice right behind him.

"How does it feel now, knowing your allies betrayed you?"

Whipping around, the backs of Corvo's thighs bumped into the shrine when he recoiled in reflex. The Outsider was right in front of him now, actually _standing_ there rather than ominously hovering like was his usual form. On top of this metal platform surrounded by walls, a shrine and a staircase across from that, there wasn't much room to maintain personal space despite his efforts.

"Strange how there's always a little more innocence left to lose." The Outsider continued without a care.

Corvo narrowed his eyes. "You _knew_ they would betray me?"

"I see every path," was the calm response, "Not just the one chosen. What fun would it be, already knowing the end to every story?"

Unsure how to take that, Corvo remained silent. What use would it be to chastise a god, anyway?

"Of course, some paths are more unexpected than others. Daud -- the man who killed the Empress. You had him in the palm of your hand, and you let him walk away?"

Was that the barest hint of disappointment in his voice, or was it admiration? Corvo forgot to care when the Outsider advanced upon him suddenly, and for the first time, touched him. He carefully guided his fingers past the rim of Corvo's hood to run the tips over the exposed and vulnerable flesh of his throat. He traced a line, slowly, from the bottom of his jaw down the side of his neck.

"You fascinate me." He spoke with that same measured slowness.

Corvo felt paralyzed. The deity's touch was like the purest ecstasy to his nerves, causing an imperceptible shiver to wrack his entire body. He looked away, afraid the Outsider would see something in his eyes, something he'd rather have kept forever in denial.

"Sometimes I wonder if you know I'm still watching. Even when you hide, in the corner of a darkened room, or even when you don't bother, and still you allow yourself to succumb to the mortal desires you so willfully suppress when anyone else is looking."

The Outsider caressed the side of Corvo's face instead, fingers gliding past the cold metal, sliding beneath his hood to gently entwine with his lengthy dark hair. Despite the sharp pang of mortification in response to those words Corvo was unable to resist the urge to lean his head back into the Outsider's touch, those fingertips scraping his scalp and sending a cascade of pleasant sensation all down his body. The intimacy of it all was serving to render him utterly enraptured.

"Even your anger you struggle to hide, despite the power you accept from me and the knowledge that with it, you can crush anyone that stands in your way."

Corvo twitched softly when the Outsider brushed his thumb over his lips. The feeling was like electricity, despite the cloth which provided further cover under his mask. The dark energy which the deity gave off was suddenly more apparent, not just swirling around them to be seen, but flowing over his skin, waves of invisible electricity curling over his arms, up his legs.

"You adore the power, don't you, Corvo?" he asked suddenly, "I see the hunger for it in your eyes, but I also see the fear. You think you will lose control, that it's only a matter of time."

Those words struck a chord. Corvo pulled his head away slightly, but was slowly lulled once more when those fingertips trailed down the side of his neck. Gritting his teeth, he tilted his head back slightly and braced one hand against the shrine behind him.

"My touch pleases you..." the Outsider half-whispered in realization.

At those words Corvo tensed up, and turned his head to the side to further avoid eye contact. His whole body now felt hot with emotion, and yet again he was thankful for the mask, if only for the mere illusion of concealment.

If the Outsider noticed his inner turmoil, he didn't show it. Slowly, he ran his hands down over Corvo's chest, where he lightly touched the bone charms fastened to the front of his coat. He trailed his fingers over them, the dark power swirling from those he touched somehow growing thicker. If Corvo dared to look down at the Outsider now, he would have seen the deity staring back with keen interest.

"It has been some time since anyone has worn these- and my mark, with such pride. Why do you?"

Corvo only felt vague confusion being asked such a thing.

"Why shouldn't I?" his voice finally cooperated, though tremulous and husky.

The Outsider didn't say anything. His hand dropped to grip Corvo's left, pressing his cold palm against his mark as he curled his fingers over his hand. Instantly something was felt, like a gap had been bridged, and it ignited a violent spark between them that caused Corvo to twitch from the shock of it. He didn't have to see it to know the mark was now glowing with radiant light like it did when he invoked his powers; he could feel it tingling, resonating with a vengeance beneath the Outsider's hand. He gasped softly.

"You're right. Why shouldn't you?" the Outsider finally spoke with a sense of conviction Corvo didn't quite understand.

Sliding the fingers of his free hand to the back of Corvo's neck, his thumb brushing over his jaw, his touch suddenly, inexplicably wavered halfway. Goosebumps broke out all down Corvo's body in response and he lifted his right hand from the shrine's top, but hesitated. As he stared down at the Outsider, saw his dark eyes become somehow even blacker with an emotion he didn't quite recognize, he found his own gaze lingering on those pale lips. With all these urges came the question tinged with worry,

"What do you want from me?"

"Only what you are willing to give," the Outsider responded, frustratingly passive even now.

Corvo didn't notice the swirling blackness had become so thick around them until then, the violet lamps utterly obscured to the point where only sourceless light remained to play upon both their features. He could feel the energy about his limbs, like an eerie, ethereal embrace. Pushing the hood from his head, the Outsider pressed close and whispered in his ear, hand resting at the back of his neck, gripping his hair, to keep him from pulling away.

"What _are_ you willing to give, Corvo?"

The feeling of warm breath, and those lips brushing against his ear, were enough to have Corvo's knees feeling weak. He braced himself again by the table behind him, letting go a shuddering exhale.

"I don't know," he responded in a manner most unlike him: _Helplessly._

Slowly, the Outsider trailed his fingers down Corvo's back. He sighed, almost as if disappointed.

Or maybe he was amused.

"Perhaps next time we meet, you will. I have entire eons I can wait, how long do _you_ have? Find Emily."

Shortly after that, he was gone, along with the darkness and the full-body tingling sensation which Corvo had only just become used to. 


	2. Chapter 2

It had been months since Corvo had rescued Emily and she'd taken her rightful place as Empress. Only a short time thereafter, Piero and Sokolov concocted a cure for the plague. The misery the disease had caused and the thousands upon thousands of people it had ultimately seen the death of would forever be burned into the memories of all those who had survived as well as those who would come long after, but at least now the nightmare appeared to have finally met its end.

Even so, it would take much longer for the city to fully heal from the damage done, probably years beyond Corvo's lifetime, and corruption was still present as it always would be. Emily was kept safe under Corvo's wing, and maybe it was the effects of the trauma he'd so recently gone through, but whenever they attended even the mildest of public events he would keep a closer eye on her and everything around her than he'd ever done for even her mother before her. Needless to say, it was rare they went somewhere like that and he didn't end up throwing someone out.

Although they were few and far between, the times to himself Corvo managed to obtain were spent mostly in his own quarters. These times came when Emily was busy with lessons, or simply taking some alone time in her room, busying herself with her many books or her artwork.

Something Corvo didn't bother to tell a soul, was that there was a medium-sized secret room hidden behind a bookshelf in his private quarters, and it was here that he'd taken the trouble to steadily construct a shrine dedicated to the Outsider. Corvo's preoccupation with the deity and the energy they shared had never quite gone away, even though he hadn't actually spoken to the Outsider since the dream he'd had the night after rescuing Emily. The Outsider had congratulated him, praised him, and... had said goodbye.

When he'd awoken, Corvo's first response had been panic; he'd nearly knocked over a nightstand in his desperation to switch on a lamp and make sure the mark on the back of his hand hadn't somehow disappeared. Ever since then, he'd check at least twice every day to make sure his powers still worked. This only sated him somewhat, and the contentment was always short-lived. Constructing the shrine had been the next step to keeping his thoughts at ease, though they never quite left that place.

It took some time before he came to the realization that it wasn't the _power_ he was obsessed with, that he longed for. He remembered what had happened that day after his battle with Granny Rags, and the words the Outsider had said to him became burned into his memory.

_"What are you willing to give, Corvo?"_

Even after the construction was completed and Corvo had placed the few runes he'd managed to salvage from his trials on and around it, however, the Outsider still did not appear.

At night when sleep eluded him, Corvo's mind would sometimes return to how he'd felt when the Outsider had whispered so tantalizingly into his ear, and most times he would be forced to welcome the taboo fantasies because they were better than the horrific things that threatened to haunt him deep into the night otherwise.

((()))

It was late into the Month of Harvest when Corvo went with Emily to check on the progress of the plague victims being treated at a nearby hospital. She was curious to see how the process worked, and her tutor had advised it would be an excellent learning experience for her. 

At the time, how bothered Corvo had felt hadn't registered much; he was the protector, not the one who needed protecting. Mental sensitivity was not something he could allow when with Emily. Not even when he saw one man in the late stages who was only just beginning his treatment, and felt that all-too familiar stab of panic and revulsion, could he take the time to acknowledge his own flashbacks. Instead, he had calmly urged Emily away from that room so she didn't have to watch the man go into a rather violent fit of convulsions. 

Now, alone at night while most everyone else was asleep, Corvo found himself reaching for a sleep dart; something he kept in high stock lest he _never_ have a good night's rest. Sometimes it all seemed so distant, but times like these he knew it could never be far enough away. He could almost smell the stench of the mountains of dead bodies he'd seen, remembering how they were piled to the top of a gigantic ravine where the rainwater mixed with decaying flesh and formed mud and puddles tainted with blood. He remembered the man who'd spoken to him moments after his friend had died in his arms after they'd been carelessly dumped with the corpses like garbage. How many others, he wondered, had suffered the same fate? How many had been too weak to even crawl from the deepest puddles and had drowned down there, with the diluted fluid of liquified flesh and rotting viscera in their lungs?

The needle stung when it pierced his skin, sliding smooth and deep into the muscle of his arm. Corvo pulled it back out before any more than half of the drug could enter his body. He'd made the mistake of using the whole amount once, and had paid the price by being nearly comatose for the night as well as the day after.

Setting the dart on the nightstand, Corvo pulled the covers up and turned onto his side. Quickly he felt the sedative take effect, and his mind was mercifully rendered blank minutes before sleep actually found him.

((()))

Corvo opened his eyes to an ethereal, milky blue sky, sitting cross-legged upon an expanse of fine marble not unlike what was present in the main hall of the building both he and the new Empress now lived. There existed even the sofa and the chairs nearby which he had grown so familiar with seeing in that very hall, made with vibrant purple fabric and stuffed to the extent that gave the utmost impression of comfort.

Standing up, he saw that this relatively short expanse of marble and rock was merely an island amidst a sea of space, surrounded by vaguely familiar objects that hovered far off like the debris of a world forgotten by time and thus the laws of physics as well.

There was only one thing keeping him from believing this wasn't just another dream spawned from fleeting hopes, and that was-

"Welcome back, Corvo."

He looked to his left just in time to see the Outsider slowly circling around to his front, gazing at him sideways with those predatory eyes all the while. He was walking, again, standing there before Corvo like a normal human being, and yet the differences were obvious. Darkness swirled like smoke in his wake, breaking from the black aura that rose off of his form as a shapeless, intangible veil. Hovering above like Corvo was so used to seeing, the power this god lorded over his human subjects was apparent for anyone to see. But here, like this, his superiority was sensed rather than seen. In a way, it was so much more intimidating, so much more _personal._

"Being with your dear Emily at last, weighed with responsibility of a new kind on your shoulders all while finally in a time of peace. Without you, this city would have fallen, just like so many before it. Do you not feel a sense of pride?"

Corvo watched him as he spoke, eyes lingering on the gentle sweep of his hand and the thin wisps of darkness which trailed from it.

"No," Corvo responded, averting his gaze, "I only wish none of it had ever happened."

"There are many others who wish the same, but you are one of the few who did something to change the way things were." The Outsider replied calmly, "You deserve to feel something other than regret."

Corvo did not look up despite the warmth which infused him upon hearing those words. Regardless of whether he believed them or not, hearing that from this god- _his_ god, it was difficult to resist some feeling of relief.

"And what of the shrine you've built in my name?" the Outsider went on, "The one you've lined with every offering you managed to hold on to? You wanted to see me again, but you did not ask me to come, nor did you kneel before it. I know it's strange, Corvo, but if you want my attention in the days to come, you are going to have to seize it."

Upon those last words, the Outsider forced Corvo to look straight at him again via a hand under his chin. There was a mildly startled look in Corvo's eyes- he hadn't even seen the deity move, nor did he feel him until he was right there before him. The touch lingered, as did their gazes, though on Corvo's end he was just trying to figure the emotion behind those ink-black eyes, searching the Outsider's face for a hint of something, anything.

"There is a reason you wanted to speak with me, is there not? Have you figured it out yet, Corvo?" the deity suddenly asked, voice just above a whisper, "Of course you have..."

For a moment, Corvo was left confused. His mind was much too addled to remember anything at _all._

_"What are you willing to give?"_

Just like that, he remembered all those guilty fantasies he'd had in regards to those words, he remembered exactly what he'd wished he'd done back when they had first been spoken, before the Outsider grew bored and left him there alone. Before he could think twice Corvo reached out, and he lightly gripped the Outsider's arm and drew himself closer. Without the courage to kiss him like he very nearly did, Corvo rested his forehead against the Outsider's.

Shackled by uncertainty and fear, Corvo could only voice the question; "Can I...?"

The Outsider didn't respond with words. With the same hand he'd used to force Corvo's gaze, he caressed the side of his face, thumb lightly ghosting over his cheek as his fingers slid further back. Corvo's eyes fell shut, the gentle intimacy serving to instantly soothe his racing thoughts. Compelled once more, he cautiously closed the small gap between them and laid a kiss upon the Outsider's lips. That first, chaste contact only made way for another, which lingered a bit longer, followed by a third which actually displayed at least a fraction of Corvo's true yearning. He felt the Outsider's fingers sliding through his hair- now soft and clean, free of dirt and dried blood like it had been last they met.

_"Give it all to me, Corvo..."_ the deity whispered while their lips were just barely touching.

Corvo felt a shiver run down his spine. A soft moan escaped him just as the Outsider finally returned the kisses with one of his own. Unlike Corvo, he was anything but chaste. He gripped the man's hair to keep him still, mouth pressed firmly against his in a gesture that spoke of dominance, but not the kind that was enforced- no, this god could demand the respect of a thousand men without hardly lifting a finger. He did it with the nonchalance of a cat sunning itself under the morning sunlight. This was not him trying to overpower the mortal before him, this was merely him granting permission.

And said permission was taken with a vengeance. The kiss was met with no less the passion Corvo had longed to give. Open mouth, tongue meeting the Outsider's and sliding against it as they met, all the while his hands worked to loosen the clasps at the front of the deity's jacket. 

The Outsider gripped Corvo's upper arm and the front of his coat as he began to walk him backward. The third clasp was well on its way to being unfastened when progress was hindered by Corvo's back colliding unexpectedly with a hard, unyielding surface. Some of the breath was forced from his lungs.

The kiss was broken at the same time, and all he could obey was the dire need to continue the contact; terrified that if he didn't, this dream would end. He dove forward, his lips meeting the Outsider's again, but the contact was short. From there he trailed reverent kisses along the other male's jaw down to the side of his neck, and hooked his fingers under the last buckle on his jacket to tug it free. 

Tilting his head up and to the side, the Outsider exposed his long, pale neck to Corvo's advances, keeping one hand braced on the wide pillar against which the man was pinned. Those hot, rough hands slid over his chest and slowly traveled to his sides, every inch they progressed, every movement he made, was fraught with terrible desire bound by caution. All the while Corvo continued to kiss his neck, going so far as to open his mouth and meet that cool, pale flesh with teeth and burning hot tongue.

After all the contact, Corvo's mark had begun to resonate. The Outsider noticed immediately. Even though Corvo wasn't doing it on purpose, it felt like the man was trying to pry open the barriers of their bond all by himself. The human's spiritual strength was so meager in comparison to his own, the feeling was not unlike having an insect trapped within his hand and trying desperately to pry apart the fingers which held it caged. Just like when last they met, the Outsider didn't have to think twice before letting down the barrier himself. 

Corvo twitched in response, and there came a sharp intake of breath. Instantly the Outsider was aware of Corvo's desperation, the near frenzy he'd worked himself into. He smiled, sliding a hand over the man's back to guide him closer.

"I know what you want," he whispered against Corvo's ear, just before he grabbed him by the coat and turned him so he was facing the pillar.

The man braced himself, hands gripping the cold stone only after the side of his face had been pressed to it. Already he was panting, his body absolutely resonating with excitement and only a slight amount of fear. Chest pressed flush against his back, the Outsider slid his hands slowly down from Corvo's abdomen.

"You want to be dominated," the deity whispered, "You want to feel me... touching you; bringing you to ecstasy with or against your will, and you've wanted that for some time, haven't you?"

His right hand met the man's thigh, while the left ventured between his legs. The man made no move to resist, and the first slow, gentle contact was enough to have him trembling.

"How long has it been, Corvo?" the Outsider murmured, "How long has it been, since anyone touched you like this?"

Corvo didn't respond, his mind was reeling. He didn't look when the Outsider pressed his free hand over his own, but he felt the connection between them spark once more. He wasn't expecting to hear the Outsider give a soft, breathy moan, one he obviously tried to suppress, nor did he expect the subsequent rush of arousal in response to the sound.

_"Oh, Corvo,"_ the deity deliberately moaned again, his voice low and heady. It was enough to cause the man pinned beneath him to visibly shudder with desire.

The Outsider started to grip him harder through his trousers then, teasingly stroking him until Corvo felt like he was about to go mad with lust. He began to squirm, grinding into that firm hand as he panted, holding on to the pillar he was braced against as if he were afraid he would fall.

"Please," he suddenly rasped, and repeated again in a feeble whisper. _“Please...”_

The Outsider gave a soft little chuckle, and let go of Corvo to instead begin leisurely unfastening the man's trousers. Without direct contact, Corvo became horribly aware of just how painfully hard he was. He felt frozen, trapped between desire and agony. His harsh, tremulous breaths sounded like a mix between exhaustion and sobbing. He closed his eyes and leaned his head back, just as the Outsider pulled him closer with a hand pressed to his chest while the other slipped down into his trousers.

Gripping the man's cock near the base, the Outsider then took the opportunity to swipe his serpentine tongue over Corvo's ear. With the mix of stimulation, he was rewarded instantly with a harsh, gasping cry which brought a devilish little smirk to his face. He began stroking at a slow pace, enjoying the way Corvo sounded when he wordlessly begged, enjoying the way he tried to reach back for him, to hold on to his clothing.

“How long can you last for me, Corvo?” the Outsider whispered beside his ear. 

He quickened the pace, and Corvo had already given up trying to respond or do anything else except hold on to whatever he could. He was panting as if he'd just sprinted a mile, and through their bond the Outsider could feel it rising- that incredible surge of ecstasy which he actually found _himself_ starting to crave.

“Can you even control yourself?” the Outsider continued, almost sounding breathless now.

Eyes squeezed shut as if in pain, Corvo found that answer to be a very bold 'no'. If anything, the deity's taunting only made it more difficult to keep control. Rapidly nearing the end, the Outsider allowed him to brace himself against the pillar, nearly leaning his chest against it while the deity remained firmly pressed against him, hand working furiously to bring the man to orgasm while he held him close with the other.

In those final, tense moments, all words ceased. Corvo's entire body grew taut, his fingers arched as he tried to somehow grip the pillar he was leaning against. Only seconds passed before he suddenly threw his head back and cried out, right as the Outsider bit him hard on the shoulder where it had only moments before been bared. The blend of overwhelming pleasure and burning pain caused his senses and his mind to reel. Somewhere in the background, he was sure he heard the Outsider give a loud, low groan which sounded a lot like a bestial growl.

Sharp teeth broke through the skin as the deity tried not to make any more noise, despite the unfamiliar rush of vicarious euphoria he'd so eagerly allowed to come through and greet him. He wore a similar expression Corvo had; eyes shut tight and brows furrowed as if in pain. His fingers curled against the man's chest, nails catching on the thick, rough fabric as he held firm near the head of Corvo's pulsing erection with his other hand; each throb bringing a new wave of debilitating pleasure.

The second it began to ebb, he let go of Corvo's shoulder and severed their advanced bond before he could begin to feel the pain of his own brutality any more than he already had. The man slumped in his arms, but rather than pull him up, he allowed him to begin slipping into the darkness that was his own consciousness; so much warmer and more forgiving than the cold blue oddity of the Void. 

“ _Remember what I told you, Corvo.”_

The rest of the night would yield no dreams, and Corvo would awaken in the morning without recollection of what happened the night before. Until, of course, he noticed that new, throbbing pain in his shoulder...


End file.
